Malayalam filmmaker and former MLA PT Kunju Muhammed has been accused of molesting a fellow film worker during preparations for the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2025. A police case has been registered following the woman’s formal complaint, which alleges that Muhammed, serving as jury chairman, entered her hotel room last month and behaved in an indecent and assaulting manner.
According to the complaint, the woman — also a member of the festival’s jury — stated that Muhammed “insulted her femininity” and conducted himself in an objectionable way. She submitted her complaint to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, after which it was forwarded to the Thiruvananthapuram City Police Commissioner for investigation. The selection jury had been working on finalising films for the festival, which opens later this week.
Muhammed has firmly denied the allegations, claiming that the entire episode was a “misunderstanding”. He said he had been active in public life for 25 years and had never behaved improperly with anyone. He added that the claims against him were false and that the truth would emerge in due course.
A well-known cultural figure, Muhammed is a two-time legislator, having first won the 1994 Guruvayoor by-election as an Independent backed by the CPI(M). He retained the seat again in 1996. He is also a founder-director of the CPI(M)-affiliated Kairali TV channel. Before entering cinema, he worked abroad for nearly a decade as an executive at a French multinational company.
Muhammed began his film career as a producer in 1978 and later acted in and directed several acclaimed Malayalam films, including Purushartham, Swaroopam, Magrib, and Garshome, earning multiple state and national awards.
Police investigations are currently underway, and further action will depend on the findings of the inquiry.
